Abstract: The combination lock disclosed has a plurality of disc-shaped tumblers mounted side-by-side for individual relative rotation around a common axis. A cylindrical member or drum having a plurality of lugs thereon is located adjacent the outer periphery of the tumblers for movement by a dial around the axis of rotation of the tumblers and for rotation on its longitudinal axis. A ratchet rotates the drum on its longitudinal axis a portion of a revolution each time the dial is returned to a selected position. Each tumbler has a protrusion on its periphery that when engaged by a lug on the drum will cause the tumbler to be rotated with the drum as the drum is moved around the axis of rotation of the tumbler by a dial. The lugs are arranged on the drum so that in one position of the drum the dial will move all of the tumblers to a preselected relative position. An audible or visible signal indicates that the lugs are in this position.

Abstract: A stabilizer is disclosed that can be mounted on the outside of the drill string. It includes a tubular body having a bore to receive the drill string to allow the body to be moved over the drill string to the desired location. A portion of the bore has a locking taper in which is located a plurality of slip fingers. A sleeve member is connected to the body by threads and is in engagement with the slip fingers. Relative rotation of the sleeve and the body will cause the sleeve to force the slip fingers along the tapered bore of the body and into frictional engagement with the outside surface of the drill string to hold the stabilizer in the desired location thereon.

Abstract: An attachment is disclosed for converting a rotary type lawnmower to a vacuum cleaner for picking up debris, such as grass cuttings, from sidewalks, driveways, and the like. The attachment includes a baffle member for positioning across the opening in the bottom of the housing of the rotary cutter blade. The baffle member has an opening through which air is pulled by the rotating cutter blade to lift and entrain debris from a sidewalk, driveway, or the like, and carry it into the housing for discharge through the discharge port of the housing. Means are provided for releasably attaching the baffle member to the housing so that the baffle can be attached when it is desired for the mower to act as a vacuum cleaner and removed when the mower is to function in the normal manner.

Abstract: The apparatus disclosed is for use with conventional automatic dialing telephone equipment and includes a master or central station and a remote, automatically triggered, dialing station. The remote station is triggered by an alarm device of no particular interest to the present invention, such as one to indicate an intruder or a fire. The remote station, once triggered, electronically dials the assigned sequence of numbers by forming the necessary make and break signals for the conventional telephone equipment found at the telephone exchange to connect the remote station to the central station through the telephone system. When the connection is completed, the central station sends a tone pulse to the remote station to verify the completion of the connection. The remote station then transmits data to the central station by spaced tone pulses.

Abstract: The connector disclosed includes a body having a groove in which an electrical cable can be positioned. Electrical contacts are positioned in the groove with each contact having a sharp end for penetrating the insulation of the cable and engaging the electrical conductors of the cable. A movable cable clamping member is pivotally attached to the body to move the cable against the contacts to cause the contacts to penetrate the cable insulation and make electrical contact with the conductors. A cam arm is pivotally mounted on the body to move the clamping member. The arm has a cam surface in engagement with the clamping member that forces the member to force the cable into electrical contact with the contacts carried by the base member. When the cam arm has so moved the movable member, it is in an "over-the-center" position, which locks the clamping member in position holding the cable against the contacts and in the groove on the body.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring heat by employing a rotating centrifuge to compress a gaseous first fluid with accompanying temperature increase and then transferring heat from said first fluid in its compressed state to a second fluid being circulated within said centrifuge in heat exchange relationship with said first fluid. After transferring said heat from said first fluid, said first fluid is allowed to expand within said centrifuge with accompanying temperature reduction. Said first fluid may then be passed out from said centrifuge, or said first fluid may be receiving heat within said centrifuge from a third fluid, being circulated in heat exchange relationship with said first fluid, after which said first fluid is again compressed within said centrifuge. Various gases may be employed as said first fluid, such as air, or halogenated hydrocarbons. Said second fluid is usually a liquid, such as water. The third fluid may also be water.

Abstract: A combination lock is disclosed that has a plurality of separately dialed tumblers mounted for rotation around spaced parallel axes. The tumblers extend through openings in a plate and each carries a fence that cannot pass through the opening. Each opening has a lateral gate slot to receive the fence of the tumbler in the opening. The plate must move over the fences to open the lock which it cannot do until the tumblers are positioned so the fences are positioned in alignment with the gate slots. Provision is made for changing the combination when desired and for opening the lock with a master combination when the current combination is forgotten. Also, in one embodiment, the lock can be opened with a spare combination in addition to the master when the current combination is forgotten or lost.

Abstract: A septic tank system is provided with an indicator above the ground surface to indicate the water level in the tributaries leading from the tank so that any excess water therein may be pumped out before it causes a back up of sewage upstream of the septic tank.

Abstract: The apparatus disclosed includes an elongated reinforcing member with stress anchors attached to each end for embedding in a body of hardenable material, such as concrete, when the material is cast into the desired shape for the structural member. The apparatus includes a member containing potential energy. After the material has hardened, the potential energy is released to place the material between the stress anchors in compression to prestress the structural member before it is placed in service.

Abstract: A rotary drilling apparatus and method are disclosed in which well tools are washed as they are pulled from the well bore and large pieces of formation are broken into pieces small enough to pass through the mud return line by directing a plurality of streams of drilling mud against the tools and the pieces of formation as they pass through the bell nipple. The material washed off the tools and the pieces of the broken up larger pieces of formation are carried from the bell nipple laterally with the mud through the mud return line. A plurality of nozzles are mounted on the bell nipple for this purpose and each nozzle includes a flow restricting member that can be easily removed and replaced when it becomes fluid cut.

Abstract: The apparatus disclosed is for cutting elongated material, such as molding, at any desired angle to its longitudinal axis selected from a group of angles available for forming miter joints and the like. The apparatus includes two members that are connected intermediate their ends in side-by-side relationship for relative pivotal, scissor type, movement around a common axis. Portions of the members on one side of the pivotal axis provide jaws and the portions on the other side provide handles for moving the jaws toward and away from each other. One of the jaws carries a cutting edge. A base plate is mounted on the other jaw for pivotal movement around an axis parallel to the direction of movement of the jaws. A stop plate is attached to the base plate to provide a guide to engage the material to be cut and to position it on the plate.

Abstract: A flow restriction is placed in the pipeline through which the fluid to be sampled flows to provide a pressure drop that is proportional to the rate of flow of the fluid in the line. A sample bottle is connected to the line through a sample conduit that also contains a flow restriction to cause a pressure drop in the fluid flowing to the sample bottle. A variable flow restriction in the sample line downstream of the first flow restriction is adjusted to maintain the pressure drop across the flow restriction in the sample line proportional to the pressure drop across the flow restriction in the pipeline so that fluid flows into the sample bottle at a rate that is proportional to the rate of flow of fluid in the pipeline.